Duran
Duran was a former Protector of Okoto's Earth Tribe. History Protector Roughly between seven hundred and several thousand years ago, Duran was born to an unknown father and mother, the former of which was his predecessor. He was taught in the ways of combat by him, and would occasionally spend some of his time with the other Okotan children. His father would also have him read various texts to familiarize himself with the island its peoples. He also learned of various legends, the Mask Makers and Prophecy of Heroes among them. When he came of age, he donned his father's tools and Protector Mask of Earth. While many of the Protectors had spouses and children at the time, Duran did not. However, he did adopt an Okotan child he found in the streets of the Capital City (an action that some considered controversial). Around this time, he also began to develop feelings for the Protector of Jungle, Hura. According to legend, he was involved in the conflict between the Okotans and the Skull Raiders. At some point, the Region of Fire fell under siege by the bandits, and Abbi summoned the other Protectors to her aid. Duran and Hura were among them, and fought alongside each other. Sadly, however, the Protector of Jungle was felled by arrow of Ice from an archer. Enraged, he chased the assassin to a cliff above one of the lava rivers. The two fought, and Duran was incapacitated when an Elemental Pellet struck his leg and encased it in Ice. Before the Skull Raider could execute him, however, Abbi intervened and freed her ally. She was horrified when Duran knocked the Raider off the cliff and into the lava below, killing the invader. Shaken by the experience, Duran ran from the battlefield and back to his hut. While he would later partake in the final battle between the Skull Raiders alongside his fellow Protectors and the Mask Makers, he was hesitant during the fight. Once the tribe was defeated, he made his way back to his village and began mourning Hura. At one point, he visited Makuta and asked him about his actions in the seas. The Mask Maker happily recounted his assault on one of their ships and the slaying of their captain. When the Protector of Earth inquired about the crew's fate, however, he fell silent. He claimed that he left them to rot, as they were without sails and thus stranded in the middle of the sea. However, Duran was suspicious of his tale and stopped visiting him. Eventually, after years of brooding and depression, he renounced his title as Protector and passed his tools and equipment down to his adopted son (an act that some considered outrageous). Bidding his adopted son and friends farewell, he exiled himself from the Earth Tribe. He was said to have wandered the island for a few years, eventually finding a dwelling place within the Region of Ice. Self-Exile and Mutation Years later, he came across a cavern, containing ruins of an unknown civilization. Venturing deep into the cave, he found a pool of a glowing silver substance. He spotted a bat falling into the liquid, dissolving into nothingness. Intrigued, the former protector tossed a hunk of ice into the lake. He was shocked when it reemerged as a towering golem, and starred at it as it wandered off. Fascinated by this, he scavenged the ruins for supplies, setting them up as his private sanctuary. After moving in, he began conducting experiments on the bodies and materials within the ruins. Years later, he seemingly managed to reanimate one of the skeletal figures he discovered. Overjoyed by this, Duran attempted to leave the area, hoping to bring Hura's body there and resurrect her as well. Unfortunately, the undead abomination grabbed the Okotan from behind and threw him into the pool. Duran survived, and swam his way back onto shore. However, when he caught a glimpse of his hands, he noticed they had changed. And when he turned back at the argent waters to see his reflection, all he found instead was a monstrous figure. He realized at that moment that the lake had mutated him, and screamed. He was unaware of a humanoid shape rising from the lake, crossing its arms in disappointment. The shock of the realization drove him insane, and he went on a deranged rampage towards the Region of Fire. He broke into Abbi's house and confronted her, pleading for her help. Her daughter, Sera, walked in on the conversation and was horrified by Duran's form. This seemed to have triggered something within him, as he quickly got into a fight with the two of them. The battle took them outside onto the streets of the village, during which several house were destroyed. While Abbi was able to remove the arm holding his fused-blades, he managed to impale her with one of his crystal-missiles. Before he could finish his old friend off, Sera intervened and drew his attention to her. In the end, she was able to incapacitate him. Seeming to regain his senses in that instant, he pleaded that the girl put him out of his misery. She complied in the form of decapitating him, putting an end to his suffering. Legacy Duran's remains would later be buried at the Region of Earth. However, he wouldn't have a statue of himself erected alongside his predecessors until decades later, as many of his people had divided opinions on his legacy. It wasn't until Sera and the Protector of Earth of her time that he would receive one. Sometime after the Toa's return to the stars, however, his statue was damaged by an unknown party. His grave was also opened, and a number of his belongings were also stolen. Korgot is leading an investigation into the desecration of his resting place. Abilities and Traits Like many members of the Protectors-line, he has his fair share of kindness and wisdom. The former especially is seen in his willingness to adopt an orphan and rescue from his life in the the streets. And although he possessed a great deal of knowledge on Okoto and other topics, he was said to "rely more on his heart than his brain". Some Okotans have criticized this, believing that his emotions could hamper his judgement. After Hura's death, he became withdrawn and bitter, entering a state of depression. He would occasional getting into arguments with the other Protectors, and would often wander from his post to brood. As time went on, he feared that his change in personality became a hazard to his adopted son and career, and thus no longer considered himself worthy of the title. Upon discovering the Silver Lake and its properties, he became obsessed with the possibility of resurrecting his former lover Hura. His transformation, however, sent him spiraling into madness and despair, clouding his judgement. His defeat broke him out of the insanity, though in his depressed state, he preferred to die rather than live as a "freak of nature". As an Okotan of Earth, he possesses night-vision. His training as a Protector has increased his physical performance, making him stronger and more endurable than the average citizen. His link to the Protector linage also granted him limited control over Earth. Upon his mutation, it expanded to the point where he wouldn't need a Mask of Earth to use his powers. This transformation also allowed him to grow and launch spikes from his body. Mask and Tools As a Protector, he possessed a number of tools passed down from his ancestors. These included a Crystal Hammer, a shoulder-mounted Elemental Blaster, and a set of throwing knives. The last weapon was craved from a particular type of crystal found in the Region of Earth, which would grow around a target and incapacitate them. He also bore a Protector Mask of Earth, granting him limited control over said Element. He discarded these upon his exile, opting for a regular Villager's Mask and a simple staff. These were destroyed when he was mutated from exposure the Silver Lake. In place of the above were a claw, an arm ending in a blade, and crystalline spikes. He could launch the latter tools as projectiles, as well as channel his Elemental powers through the first two. Appearances *''Lost in the Dark'' - Appears in a flashback Trivia * This was the first article from the Second Generation to earn a place on the Main Page. * One possible theme for the character (or at least, his final battle) would be "Town In Chaos" of the Darkest Dungeons original soundtrack. Category:Protectors Category:Earth Category:Okoto Category:Generation 2 Category:Okotan